SLUDGE MANAGEMENT
Before discussing sludge management, it is important to know how it forms. Dust, runoffs, and dead aquatic organisms settle on the lake floor and decompose, forming sediment, which is typically anaerobic. All lakes eventually become overwhelmed by the material, requiring one of the following mitigation methods: Vacuum Dredging, Dry Dredging, and Drainless Dredging.
Vacuum Dredge
Vacuum trucks suck the material via tubes up to six inches in diameter and store it in mobile tanks for disposal. This method restores, which is generally more expensive, ponds to their original depth.
Dry Dredging
Dry dredging involves draining the lake and allowing it to dry before heavy equipment can scrape, load, and dispose of the sludge. It's usually employed to lower or avoid dumping costs.
Drainless Dredging
Drainless dredging is usually performed by underwater divers, who vacuum the material out to a dewatering containment, where it allows the material to dry before disposal. People utilize this method of sludge removal because it affords minimal disruption. However, it is usually unable to remove all the material.